Baby, Don't Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live

Description

You may know him as Mango, Mr. Peepers, the gibberish-spouting Suel Forrester or one half of the Butabi brothers. Maybe you remember him as the Gothic high schooler Azrael Abyss, Gay Hitler, or the guitarist in the Cowbell Sketch. Whichever it is, Chris Kattan has earned a spot in the hearts of a generation of Saturday Night Live fans. Whether channeling characters, delivering unforgettable impersonations like his outlandish Al Pacino, or head-bopping at the Roxbury, Chris Kattan has defied all comparison, expectations, and sometimes gravity, bringing his incomparable style of physical comedy, the likes of which have rarely been seen on SNL. Now, for the first time ever, Kattan opens up about his years being on Saturday Night Live, performing alongside friends and future legends including Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, along with sharing about his fascinating and unusual childhood and his time hanging out backstage watching Pee-Wee Herman and the late Phil Hartman on The Groundlings stage. But mostly, Kattan shares seven seasons' worth of hilarious, and never-before told stories from his wild ride through SNL. From a hysterical and somewhat dark occupation driving a widowed 92-year-old Dutch millionaire on Mulholland Dr. (and her giant poodle Rex), to breaking his neck (literally!) while performing on live television, he chronicles the ups and downs of life in search of the spotlight, and pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of two of comedy's greatest institutions.? Provocative and personal, goofy and heartfelt, Baby, Don't Hurt Me is a window into the world of millennium-era Saturday Night Live, from the rehearsals to the after-after parties, as narrated by your funniest, wised up, weirdest friend--who just so happened to be there for all of it!

Chris Kattan began his comedic career as a member of several improv/sketch comedy troupes, including The Groundlings in Los Angeles. His father was an original member of the troupe. Kattan also did some minor roles on TV, including an episode of NewsRadio. He moved to New York City to work on Saturday Night Live from 1995 to 2003. His recurring characters included Mr. Peepers, Mango, Azrael Abyss, Kyle DeMarco from The DeMarco Brothers, Gay Hitler, Suel Forrester (known for the term "dagitybo") and, most notably, one half of the Butabi Brothers with fellow SNL (and Groundlings) cast member Will Ferrell, known for their trademark head-bobbing. Kattan and Ferrell continued the characters in 1998's A Night at the Roxbury. Kattan has made one appearance on Broadway, playing Xanthias in a production of Aristophanes' The Frogs. Kattan appeared in a Diet Pepsi MAX commercial during Super Bowl XLII that featured the song "What Is Love" and had many actors in the commercial performing the Butabi head bob. In August 2009, Kattan starred in the IFC miniseries Bollywood Hero, where he portrays himself and the difficulties he faces after a career as a comic actor, trying to attain leading man status. Starting in fall of 2009, Kattan appeared in a supporting role in The Middle. He also appeared in an episode of How I Met Your Mother as a star in a fictional movie within the show. In December 2011, Kattan made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live's Christmas show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon. Bestselling author Travis Thrasher has written over 45 books, from love stories to supernatural thrillers. His inspirational stories have included collaborations with filmmakers, musicians, athletes, and pastors. He's also written memoirs and self-help books. His novelizations include Do You Believe? and God's Not Dead 2. Upcoming projects he is working on include Olympic Pride, American Prejudice, about the lives of the other 17 American black athletes who competed in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Travis lives with his wife and three daughters in a suburb of Chicago, and fittingly enough, will have a children's book titled Brave Girls Confidential released later in 2017.

"An utterly fascinating and inherently entertaining read from cover to cover." -Midwest Book Review "No one appreciates a scar more than me. I always loved Chris Kattan, but this book made me love him even more." -Amy Sedaris "Chris Kattan is one of the greatest physical comedians I have ever seen. He would play a small animal and believe he was 20 pounds. He would play a male stripper and believe that he was an amazing dancer. He would play an old lounge act and you would think he really had been trapped in a smoky Vegas room for 50 years. I've always admired his commitment to his characters but also his thirst for learning about comedy. He is a real student of the craft, and he was always great to me and gave me good advice on top of 'laugh until we are in tears' moments on SNL. This takes me back." -Jimmy Fallon "I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to succeed in comedy as a performer or a writer. Chris Kattan gives a rare, detailed look behind the scenes of SNL. His stories are laugh-out-loud funny (driving Mrs. Koogle!) and very touching. He bares his heart in this riveting memoir." -Molly Shannon